Six Kansas University professors received $5,000 Kemper Awards Thursday from a “surprise patrol” headed up by KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway.

The professors, who were recognized for their excellence in teaching and advising, are:

• W. Perry Alexander, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science;
• Jonathan Earle, assistant professor of history;
• Charles Eldredge, professor of art history;
• Richard Hale, assistant professor of aerospace engineering;
• John Head, professor of law;
• John Kelly, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.

In all, 20 KU professors will be honored and $100,000 distributed with Kemper Awards this year.

The patrol will hand out Kemper Awards to additional unsuspecting professors Friday, Aug. 22, and next week.

The patrol includes Commerce Bank representative Mark Gonzales, community bank president in Lawrence, and Dale Seuferling, president of the KU Endowment Association.

The W.T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence recognize outstanding teachers and advisers at KU as determined by a seven-member selection committee. Now in the eighth year of a 10-year program, the awards were established by a $500,000 fund from the William T. Kemper Foundation-Commerce Bank, Trustee, and $500,000 in matching funds from the KU Endowment Association.

For more on the awards, see the 6News report at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and pick up a copy of Friday’s Journal-World.